When you see a sign that says “Wet Cement,” it seems natural to conclude that the turf needs to dry out before it’s safe to traverse.

Scuba operations were an essential part of stabalizing the Scioto Mile shoreline.

Nope.

Think about underwater cement projects. How do they dry out? Part of shaping the shoreline on the Scioto Mile actually involves pouring grouted cement stabilizers under the water. The project requires scuba divers, concrete pumps with hoses, big rocks and a whole lot of river.

Believe it or not, the concrete grout will set up underwater. The hardening process is a function of time, not air. It’s not special secret-recipe stuff –the cement medium itself sets best underwater. Water keeps moisture in, acting like a natural sealer.

The result of all that super-sealed grout? The project will have a super-stable shoreline, with big rocks that have the extra support of concrete grout grips.

Thank heavens for WET CEMENT!

The hammer is the best tool. Think about it, the hammer is perfect in its magnificent multifaceted simplicity. Without instructions, anyone can use it to pound, pry or bust something into a million pieces.

That said, do we really want people hammering on the Scioto River’s floodwall? The floodwall serves an important purpose: protecting the downtown community from a potential flood. The wall is also eighty years old. Is it really a good idea to hammer on anything that ancient?

It's hammer time on the Scioto Mile, as workers test and repair the floodwall.

Well, YES. Part of the Scioto Mile Project has been to bolster the old floodwall. Time takes its toll on all things, and even the sturdiest floodwall can develop a few weak spots over the decades. The weak spots might not show to the naked eye, but the hammer test tells the truth every time.

So, you might have seen the team hammering away at every inch of the floodwall. The versatile tool helps them detect areas that need some support. With the vulnerable spots identified, the fix-it team takes to pontoon boats and lifts in order to bolster or replace any weak joints in the floodwall.

That builds a stronger foundation for the Scioto Mile, and helps keep Downtown dry.

These Scioto Mile construction signs make both workers and passers-by take a second look.

If you saw a sign that said NO STRUCK BY ZONE, what would you do? For starters, there’s something suspicious about the grammar. What is STRUCK BY? Does it mean turn off the cell phone? Watch for falling rocks? What?

If you work in construction on the Scioto Mile, you know what those signs mean. They are very public safety reminders for the crew that’s busy building the project. The official explanations are right here.

For the rest of us, here’s the layman’s analysis . . .

NO ELECTROCUTION ZONE:  Loosely, it means DON’T DO THINGS THAT WILL GET YOU KILLED. The sign reminds workers not to mess with iffy wiring, and not to leave dangerous unprotected wiring around for others. 

NO STRUCK BY:  This one’s not so difficult. It means, DON’T DO THINGS THAT WILL INSPIRE THIS SENTENCE: A construction worker was struck by a (blank). For example, don’t use damaged equipment, don’t throw things, pay attention to caution tape.

NO CAUGHT IN-BETWEEN ZONE:  How about DON’T DO THINGS THAT WOULD LEAD TO SOMEONE GETTING STUCK, especially when it comes to things involving trenches and/or large equipment. It would be very bad indeed to get stuck under a bulldozer.

Which is altogether different from being struck by a bulldozer.

For more fun with signs, check out this week’s Scioto Mile Video.

How do you put a positive spin on a negative thing?

It’s actually not all that tough. Consider the architectural phrase, “negative space.”  It’s a technical way of saying “there’s nothing there.” If you cut out a paper snowflake, you’re creating negative space to make something prettier than the plain sheet of white paper. Prettier is a positive.

Re-arranging negative space on the balustrade makes it safer, and prettier

We’ve been re-arranging the negative space on the Scioto Mile too. You may recall the dangerously large negative space between the columns on the balustrade. Those gaps are being divided with decorative black bars . . . pretty, but made of steel for sturdy strength.

On a larger scale, there are plenty of other negative spaces that the project is filling. The walkway along the balustrade will define negative space in a way that frames the Scioto River and its landscape. Bicentennial Park’s water features, restaurant and band shell are all designed to fill space in a way that showcases the riverside.

When the project is complete, one more thing will arrive to fill the negative space: people. It’s the people that bring spaces to life. And we positively can’t wait for the debut!